Federal Grand Jury Indictments

Contact Person: Nancy Wicker (803) 929-3000

Columbia, South Carolina----United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Charleston, South Carolina, returned Indictment(s) against the following:

Bluffton Man Indicted for Illegal Reentry of an Alien
Arturo Luis Hernandez Hernandez, age 34, of Bluffton, was charged in a one-count Indictment with Illegal Reentry of an Alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). The maximum penalty Hernandez could receive is 2 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Dean H. Secor of the Charleston office for prosecution.

North Charleston Man Charged with Production and Possession of Child Pornography and Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Albert Taylor, age 51, of North Charleston, was charged in a three-count Indictment with Production of Child Pornography, Possession of Child Pornography, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a), 2252A(a)(5)(B), and 922(g)(1) respectively. Taylor could receive a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and a maximum of 30 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for the Production of Child Pornography count, a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for the Possession of Child Pornography count, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and a maximum of Life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for the Felon in Possession of a Weapon count.  The case was investigated by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office for prosecution.

Mr. Nettles stated that the charges in this Indictment are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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